The battle over Metro Vancouver’s agricultural land is heating up with regional directors asking the federal government to stop Port Metro Vancouver from using Fraser delta farmland for future port expansion.

Metro’s regional planning committee has agreed to send a letter to federal Transport Minister Denis Lebel suggesting the port’s proposed land-use plan not include any designation to allow non-agricultural uses on the agricultural land reserve.

The decision follows concerns from Richmond council, where the port has bought more than 80 hectares of the Gilmore Farm.

Port officials argue the land is being “held as an emergency relief valve” as the port seeks to find or create more industrial land. The port estimates more than 3,000 hectares of industrial land — more than seven times the size of Stanley Park — has been lost in Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver over the past 30 years.

But regional officials fear the port’s move to amass agricultural land could have serious implications for its regional growth strategy, which dictates specific zones for industrial, agricultural and mixed commercial uses.

“It’s really an open wound between Richmond and Port Metro Vancouver as long as the port holds onto that land,” Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie said. “We don’t suspect they plan to use it in the short run for industrial uses but they purport to be able to use it …. If we allow them to get away with this that could compromise any piece of farmland we have in southeast Richmond.

“We have made it very clear we object to this and we’re watching the situation and we’re prepared to take action when the need arises.”

The regional growth strategy, adopted in 2011, suggests Port Metro use port lands for industrial activities, discourage non-port related commercial development on port lands, and not expand beyond industrial and mixed employment areas in the regional plan. About 10,207 hectares of land in the region has been designated as “industrial.”

But Metro officials contend the board has little ability to compel a federal body like the port to follow the provisions of the plan.

“Our powers are muted by the federal government,” said Surrey Coun. Linda Hepner, who sits on the Metro committee. “We totally get it that we need the port. But within that scenario, agriculture is also a very significant industry in this province.”

A Metro report suggests there are no parcels designated agricultural in the growth strategy right now being used for industrial purposes by the port.

But if the port was to designate such lands for other uses in its land-use plan, Metro officials argue, it would conflict with the strategy.

Lebel did not immediately respond Monday to Metro Vancouver’s concerns.

But B.C. Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick said in a brief statement that “there is a process in place for any individual or agency contemplating using ALR lands for non-farm use” and that “our expectation is that the federal government would follow this process.”

Colin Fry, executive-director of the Agricultural Land Commission, said his office has received no applications from Port Metro Vancouver and has little to say until it does.

The same applies to South Delta, where independent MLA Vicki Huntington last spring raised alarms over Lamington Heights Investments having signed options to purchase 226 hectares of farmland for potential development associated with Deltaport-Pacific Gateway projects.

“If and when there is a planned development, we would be engaged,” Fry said. “Participating at this time is premature.”

He said the commission has a good working relationship with federal agencies, adding the commission exists to protect farmland and does not prohibit the purchase of farmland by individuals or corporations.

In 2001 the commission received an application from Canadian Pacific to exclude 90 hectares from the land reserve in Pitt Meadows as part of an intermodal transport development.

CP had developed half of the 90 hectares some time ago as a federally chartered company and wanted to develop the other half.

If the company had wanted to develop the other 45 hectares strictly for its own use, it would not have needed the land commission’s permission; however, it sought the application because its development plans included leases with third-party tenants.

The commission agreed to exclude the entire 90 hectares due to the prior development and the fact CP could still develop the property for its own uses, Fry said.

He noted that the commission from time to time meets with municipalities and regional districts to discuss a balance between farmland protection and the need for industrial land.

Duncan Wilson, Port Metro’s vice-president of corporate social responsibility, said the port doesn’t have many options left because of the “tremendous loss” of industrial land in the region. “What’s left, even with densification, is not sufficient enough to sustain the economic future of the region,” he said.

He is calling for a jobs land reserve and incentives to create more industrial land. As municipalities feel the pressure to raise revenue and rezone industrial land into residential towers, he said, more pressure is put on agricultural parcels. He noted the False Creek flats in Vancouver is a good example of lost industrial land, saying it is likely “too far gone” now to save for port uses.

And while Metro has placed a higher threshold on industrial land under its regional growth strategy, he said, there’s too much flexibility for municipalities to get that land out.

“Right now there’s very little incentive to protect industrial land,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of money to be made in residential developments.”

Hepner agrees Metro Vancouver has contributed to the situation, saying many cities, such as Burnaby and Vancouver, have long wiped out their available industrial land by building mixed-use developments or highrises on those sites. Surrey has about 45 per cent of the total stock in Metro Vancouver, she said.

“Industrial land in the region is scarce,” she said. “We’re the masters of our own misfortune because we’re the ones that made it scarce. To make sure we were competitive in the world we have taken some of our best lands and put highrises on them. We have great views but not great land.

“It’s an attractive option. Who doesn’t want to live on the water? But is it looking after our economic interests? Probably not.”

Metro Vancouver chairman Greg Moore acknowledged the regional district didn’t protect industrial land in the past and the board is now trying to fix what happened. Under the regional growth strategy, rezoning of any industrial — or agricultural — land would first have to be passed by the municipal council where the land is located and then receive a two-thirds vote in favour by the Metro board.

Metro is also pushing for more intensive use of industrial land, which has typically involved a raft of low-slung buildings and parking lots over huge swaths of land.

“We know we need to protect good quality industrial land or it forces the port to buy agricultural land,” Moore said. “The port has already bought three pieces. What’s stopping them from buying more agricultural land on the water?”

But Wilson argues the port doesn’t plan to immediately develop any of its agricultural land. Instead, the port wants to work with Metro to find or create industrial land, which could be done by rezoning existing parcels, or using land formed by deposition along the Fraser River.

Lands around Delta, Richmond, Surrey and New Westminster will likely be coveted as the port moves forward, he said, because they are near rail, water and roads. The port already owns former Interfor and Canfor mill sites in New Westminster.

Brodie argues Richmond has “a great deal of industrial port lands.”

Richmond had 2,295 hectares of industrial land in 2010, while Surrey has 1,829 hectares, Delta 1,611 hectares, Vancouver 665 hectares and Burnaby 533 hectares, according to the port.

“We do not concede that we have no rights or that the Agricultural Land Commission has no rights in regards to that land,” he said. “There are rules and regulations that pertain to that land and they haven’t changed.”

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Port Metro Vancouver and region square off over farmland

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